Stella Dorothy Newman

Sunrise: February 6, 1919 - Sunset: November 7, 2017

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of our dear elder Stella Dorothy Newman (nee Lewis). Stella was born to her mother Charlotte (nee Baker) and father Jacob Louie at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver on February 6, 1919; she passed away peacefully surrounded by love of family and relatives at Evergreen Nursing Home in North Vancouver on November 7, 2017. She was 98 years young. Stella spent her toddler years in what we know as ‘the Big House’ at Cheakamus IR #11. At the young age of 6 she was taken from her home and family and relocated to St. Paul’s Indian Residential School in North Vancouver where she attended up to her grade 8 year. At this time she became interested in becoming a nun and stayed to reside with the Sister of the Child Jesus in North Vancouver. Until she met her love Walter Newman who she married in 1944 and began their family who they raised on Mission IR #1 until he passed away in 1978. They were married 36 years. She then built her home on Seymour Creek IR #2 where she lived out the remaining years of her life. As a young lady she worked at the Great Northern Fish Cannery in West Vancouver and then the Ta-ah Lodge (old age home) on Mission IR #1. In Stella’s later years she worked diligently with the Squamish Nation language team and was passionate about recording our Skwxwú7mesh Sníchim and for this the Nation will forever be thankful. Stella will best be remembered for her prayers – she never ceased prayer and up and to her final hours she said her hail mary… our father…

Stella is survived by and will be dearly missed by her loving son Glen P Newman (Marlene), Walter Ryan Newman; daughters Darlene Wright and Nora Rocha (Manuel); and very special nephew Robert Lewis; and many many foster children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, great great grandchildren and loving nieces, nephews relatives and dear friends.

A prayer service will be held November 12, 2017 (Sunday) at 7:00 pm and a funeral service on November 13, 2017 (Monday) at 10:00 am, both at Chief Joe Mathias Centre, 100 Capilano Road in North Vancouver, BC.